Torn sky
by The Green Huntress 109
Summary: The wings of freedom are in danger of being clipped as the MP's demand Commander Erwin's head. this means a visit to another pawn he has placed away from the other branch of the core,where Lily and her sisters have been kept along with their squad. As her and her family join with Levi, her old friend, will she be able to help over throw the government? Can they stay alive?
1. Thorns on the wall

Ellani stared at the little ten year old girl standing in front of her sisters, shielding them with her body. The little girl wouldn't stand a chance against Ellani, a trained soldier downed by a bad leg and frammed for murder.  
"If you want to get to them, you have to go through me." the girl said not backing down despite the older and taller woman looming above them. Ellani raised an eyebrow at the dirty girl, her dark hair long and greasy and Ellani knew they needed a good meal as well as a bath. The older woman had caught two of the triplets trying to pick her pocket and chased the girls to this dank dark alley, littered with broken boxes and shattered glass. That was when this girl had dropped in using a manuvering gear. The straps having had holes poked in to strap her in properly, and stop her from falling out with her skinny frame.

"What's your name kid?" Ellani asked looking the scrawny kid up and down. The girl growled at her and her face twisted into a sneer. "You think I'm stupid or something, I know you'll get the military police." she glanced at her sisters who had stood from where they had fallen and clung to her like a life line. She could see the girl give her cowering sisters a look that they clearly missed, but Ellani deciphered it as 'get the hell out of here'.

"I'm Ellani." Ellani tried to placate the girl "You obviously have an aptitude for the gear, I could teach you more and you could come live with me." she tried, but the girl continued glaring . So it seemed she wasn't very trusting, this was both good and bad.  
"Your sisters could come too, I wouldn't split you up." Maybe this girl was her ticket out of the slums, then she could get a proper doctor for her leg. Sunlight would be nice too.

One of the triplets grabbed the glaring girl "Lilla, we can't live like this." she said pleadingly.  
"But Rose.." Lilla was about to argue not taking her eyes off of Ellani.  
The other girl cut her off "She's offering this to us. We would be stupid to pass it up." Lilla sighed relaxing her stance. "Fine." she looked at Ellani "One wrong move and I will not hesitate to kill you." She warned.  
Ellani smilled. She would make a perfect soldier, or more importantly a perfect theif.  
"Of course you'd have to work for it." Ellani said casually and Lilla's eyes narrowed at her. "Stealing for me I mean. What's your names?"  
"Rose, Violet and Lily Goldmen." Lily replied sadly, "The last of the Goldmen line."

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Lily gave a sigh as she woke. That memory refused to leave her mind, she didn't want to remember the darkness she had come from, but her mind had other ideas. That moment had brought her here today and she wasn't sure how she felt about that.  
As usual she was the first in her squad to wake, so heaving the blankets off her she tried to get up only to find herself restrained. "Lilla." Rose had her arms wrapped tightly around the oldest triplet and Violet curled into Lily's other side, both were asleep. A small smiles wound it's way on to her face, they must have snuck in again last night and fell asleep in her bed. She didn't see why they bothered to get seperat beds, living under Trost city had taught them to stick together.  
Lily shook her head at her siblings and carfully untangled herself from the surprisingly lax hold of the sleeping girls.  
Lily silently dressed in the dark room, so familiar was the uniform she could dress with out looking. Finally with a ruffle to her now short black hair she doned her jacket marking her a member of the servey corps and padded down the castle corridors. She made her way to the kitchens, intent on making breakfast for her sqaud.

It had been so long since she thought of her dark origins. Ellani had taken them in and taught them how to fight and use 3D gears properly. And then Erwin turned up...

"Hey captain." a voice broke her out of her mind, not a very nice place as it was without dredging up the pain of the past. Suddenly she realised he thought she was the captain, damn. She must have taken Roses jacket when she dressed in the dark.  
Lily glanced over at the owner of the voice, "Oliver." she nodded to him not correcting his mistake "You're up early." Oliver scratched his head  
"Yeah, well I was awake so..."  
"Hey I think the captain's..." The second voice belonging to Frankie, a blond woman with brown eyes wide in shock as she stared at the captain. "Oh, hey captain." Frankie almost shouted, beads of sweat trickling down her neck. "We...I...we didn't come from the same place." she assured.  
Lily smirked "Don't worry, everyone knows of your relationship and I'm Lily, not Rose."  
Rose was the captain, Lily and Violet her second in commands. They each had their own jacket to distinguish them too, Rose's had a rose climbing the wings, Lily had a lily and Violet as you guessed, a violet. Currently she was wearing Rose's.

Frankie rubbed her arm "E..everyone?" Lily nodded.  
"How?" Oliver asked. Lily smiled, as if it wasn't apparent, they stood too close for just being comrades. Once she was afraid Frankie would sit in Oliver's lap when they were in a meeting, the chair wouldn't have held both of them. Instead of telling them she just shook her head and held a plate with bread and a bowl of porridge balancing on top. Frankie took it "Thanks." she said going to the mess hall, Oliver took his plate and with Lily followed Frankie.  
"I heard Levi has custody over a shifter and wall Maria had fallen, I hadn't realised our expidition took so long." Frankie said "We should visite Levi and his squad." she said smirking in Lily's direction, "I know squad leader would like to see her old friend."  
Levi and Lily had trained together and had been under Erwin when they had reached their current ranks, they became kind of friends though it was hard to tell by how they treated each other.

Lily looked at her food "I haven't talk to him in years and nor do I want to. So leave it at that Franchesca." she told her firmly as she griped her spoon so tight her knuckles were turning white, Frankie gave a sigh but nodded. It was Levi's fault, he was such an ass and Lily hated that she still cared. But her anger always won out. So many years had passed that she lost count and hardly remembered what Levi looked like now.  
She had to admite though, her curiosity was peaked by the shifter. A human that turned in to a titan, that was worth dealing with her once friend.  
"Don't think you have a choice." Violet yawned as she walked in with her own plate "Erwin sent a message yesterday saying he was coming here to talk to us. Rose seemes to think he wants us to join the rest of the survey corps." she plonked down next to Lily smiling "Oh and Rose said you're dead, you stole her jacket again."

Lily stood as Rose entered the hall with Lily's jacket balled in her fist. "Swap." she said throwing Rose her jacket and catching the one thrown at her head. "So Erwin will be coming to see us I hear." Lily tells Rose who freezes.  
"Look Lily, we didn't tell you because..."  
Lily sighs "No, I know. I do have temper sometimes, but I still needed to know." She was pretty sure her temper had died down since they had first joined the servey corps. She hadn't punched anyone in a long time, so she'd say that was good.

Alexander and Terry walked in with Maria tagging behind the two older soldiers, her blue eyes glanced at Violet and she changed direction to sit with her. Alexander sat beside Rose with a smirk "I can't wait to see you punch Levi. I've heard stories from Terry." he looked towards his tall friend in a knowing way. Terry had also been a member of Flagon's squad before they moved to Erwin's. He was the most trustworthy person Lily had met, besides her own sisters, and he would be in charge should all three triplets be called away.

Terry gave a sigh "I told you that was in training. He gave as good as he got." the man assured Alex and caught Lily's eye as if to say 'but we all know you'. Like she starts all the fights.  
She gave him an eye roll to convey her agravation at his accusing expression. A quick glance around showed that Rin had been missing from the enesemble. They all knew that Rin wasn't the type to be late, so that left one explination. He had a habit of watching the trees surrounding then at odd hours, as if a titan would come crashing through and devoure them all.  
That was something she could relate to, for the first few months in what was then their new home, she had sat for hours just watching the area for danger.

Lily stood to leave, her bowl left on the table for Maria to take and clean like she loved to do; it was what made her feel useful, being the newest recruite. Violet smiled "Going to find Rin? He'll be on the highest tower as usual." she said kindly, she also knew what it was like to fear attack at any minuet. Lily nodded silently and left for the highest tower. The sky had already taken on the pink hue of morning, the stars having faded a while ago with rising of a new day.  
Her gaze shifted from the sky to the dark shadow of Rin hanging off of the tower wall by his gear.

Lily cursed herself for not thinking of bringing her own gear.

"What lies on the horizon, Crow?" she called, as where their customery greeting when in the presents of friends or alone. Rin jumped down, using his gear for a soft landing next to Lily and a smile graced his lips. Grey eyes held mirth and the prescents of dew dripped from his brown hair told her how long he had kept watch.  
"I spot eyebrows and his dog." he replied "Better lower the bridge." he remarked. They did not have a drawbridge, but he had meant something different and was not something Lily was happy with.  
"I will if he does." was all she muttered before moving to open the gates expecting Rin to take her lead. By the time they were open the squad had gathered outside in full battle gear, all except Lily. She took her place beside Rose on her left, while Violet stayed to her right.  
Rin leaned over to her "You should have put your gear on." he whispered, She shrugged and turned fully to him.  
"Then they would assume I was afraid of them." her responce earned a chuckle from the man behind her.

The small party rode in to the courtyard, Rose stepped forward to welcome Erwin while Terry took their horses to the stable. Violet as well as the rest went to greet Hanji, Levi and a boy she didn't know.

Lily stayed where she was.

Erwin walked towards Lily and saluted her with a small smile tugging at his lips. Lily noticed his salute was wrong, he used his left hand instead of his right."Only you would greet us without your maneuvering gear on. It's good to see you Lily."  
she crossed her arms at Erwin's approach, Levi hot at his heels with that cold expression he always wore. "That's stupid." Levi remarked "A titan could smash through the wall like with wall Maria, then we'd all be in deep shit." Ah how she had missed Levi and his love of sentances he could use shit in. The kid stood behind Levi stood in a salute, he looked like he was about to pop a vessel.  
Lily gave Levi a cold stare "Well I don't do it to impress you. Any way I have enough experience at getting the gear on quickly." she nodded to the kid "Stand down kid, you'll pop something. What's your name anyway?" The boy relaxed and drew a breath, but before he could answer Levi stepped in.

"This shitty brat is Eren Jeager. The shifter and horrible cleaner." Lily looked the boy up and down. He didn't seem like much of humanities last hope, more like a teen who still had some growing up to do.  
Rose had gone to Lily's side along with Violet, "Nice to meet Eren, I'm Rose." She smiled warmly at the boy. "This is my sister Lily, and this is my other sister, Violet." Rose had pointed at them both, then proceeded to introduce their whole squad to the boy.  
Lily had turned back to the commander with narrow eyes "Let's cut the crap, you're here for a reason not a house call. Tell me what you want."

Erwin smiled grimly at her bluntness. He moved his cloak for her to see his missing right arm, "I'm afraid this might take a while."


	2. Between the heart and the mind

Rose had sent everyone apart from Lily and Violet to do their jobs for the day, each member left without protest in the knowledge that they would be told what occurred later. Alexander held an expression of disappointment as he left casting glances at Lily and Levi, but Lily had made a point to stand away from the silent man and gave a pointed look at the boy when he lingered at the door to their dinning hall.  
Erwin had sat on the small table for six with a weary sigh, Lily guessed the trip had been long and rushed by the abruptness of the visit. That could only mean that something was wrong, if it got Erwin this wound up then it was big.  
Levi, always at his heels, had lent against the wall opposite from the one Lily herself was leaning against. She wasn't sure what erked her more, the blank look he gave her or the fact he was ignoring her. Levi then turned to the wall with a scowl and muttered insults about their lack of cleanlyness, Lily sighed and let it go like she had let many things go before. Rose, ever the leader, had positioned her self opposite the commander with Violet sitting on her left.

Rose gave Erwin her serious face as she leant her elbows on the table. "What brings you here, commander?" She asked solemnly. Erwin gave her the same grim expression.  
"You are aware of what has been happening regarding the MP's and the Survey corps?" He asked and Lily got the distinct impression that if he had his other hand they would be clasped in front of him. Rose nodded at his question as she opened her mouth to speak, but Lily had gotten there first.  
"Unicorns are trying to clip our wings, that's what I got from our spies." She said tilting her head slightly to look Erwin in the eye. "you are to be executed. You being here will not help your cause." Lily clicked her tongue as the realisation hit her, Erwin was too smart to do this on a whim. He had a plan, of course.  
"You want us to turn some military police members. You need help from inside." Lily looked from Erwin to her sisters. They were far to easily swayed, no regard for their own safety as long as they could help. This operation would no doubt be risky and possibly life threatening.

"No." Lily's face betrayed nothing, but confusion at his reply shone through her green eyes. "I do not need your squad to turn anyone, I have my own connections. What we need is for you to combine with Levi's squad." at Lily's clenched jaw he smiled. "The military Police will come to you. They'll try to turn to their cause, and knowing Lily you will refuse. If you do that they will kill you."  
Rose nodded, her hands folded on the table "Then I guess we are coming with you." Violet smiled at Eren who had been staring at the triplets. Rose stood and saluted the commander "I'll go prepare for our journey. You are welcome to stay the night, I'll see you at dinner." as Rose walked out of the hall Lily pushed herself away from the wall with a sigh "Vi, why don't you take Eren and go peel the potatoes. You know how much I eat." she gave a small smile at her youngest sister, who smiled back and jumped up.  
"Sure Lilla, come on Eren." she said gesturing for the boy to follow. Eren looked from Levi to Violet but did as he was told at Erwin's nod to him.

A silence descended on the three remaining survey members, a tension so palpable you could cut it with a knife. Levi stared boredly at Lily as she looked between the two men, her eyes taking everything in and analysing what ever information she could find.  
It was hardly a surprise when she could find nothing.  
Levi 'tiched' and pulled away from the wall too "What?" he asked bluntly. Lily shook her head sending hair to fly in her face, "We'll get hurt either way, won't we." she let out defeated breath "I'll try to get word to our spy, see what i can dig up. No doubt you need an idea of what's happening with your trial." Again the unconfortable silence settled over them.

Erwin chuckled leaving both Lily and Levi to look at his shaking shoulders, it struck Lily that maybe the last few months had gotten to him. Erwin however, shook his head "You two." was all he said before he pushed away from the table, the chair screeched loudly in the echoy hall while he stood. "I am quite tired from our ride, would it be ok if i used a room?" Erwin asked pushing his chair in. It seemed he remembered Rose's little pet peeve when it came to chairs not being pushed in properly.  
Lily waved a hand at him, "You're the commander, course it's ok. Just ask Maria to show you to a clean room. She's the new one with the brown hair and squeeky voice."

He nodded and thanked her as he left, leaving the two old friends together.

In truth Lily had missed Levi, in a way. Levi didn't expect anything nor did he usually cause unnecissary drama, everything she liked about a friendship where there was no pressure on her to be anything but her. He made her feel free in a way she didn't know she wasn't. His humour wasn't what most people would call apropriate, but neither was hers. Lily constantly made dick jokes and refrences to sex.  
It was time they made up, even if it wasn't her fault she needed to make the first move. Levi being as stuborn as he was, wouldn't make the first move.

"Sorry." she whispered relaxing her body, she hadn't even noticed how tense she was until it had bled from her. The air became less sofocating now the words had left her lips and a relived smile softened her edges. It had been two years since their 'conversation' and the words she had wanted to say since her squads move weighed down on her. The titans ,though rare in their part, reminded her of how short life was and her only true friend would die thinking she hated him. Similarly she would have died with one huge regret chained to her soul.  
She had exspected Levi's face to be hold no emotion as usual, but as to her surprise he looked...also surprised.

"Why?"

Lily tilted her head in confusion "For what I said two years ago. I was out of line saying it was your fault. Levi, it wasn't."She clasped her hands together ashamed "I wanted to hurt you, like you hurt me." She had no illusions that Levi wasn't one to show much emotion, he had learned like them to hide it, but she hoped he would shout at her. He hadn't then and it had annoyed her.  
"tch, you were always forgiven. Idiot." he said walking to stand in front of her. "I was wrong too." he rested his hand on Lily's head for a second then pushed her back to bump lightly against the wall "Where's you cleaning supplies?"  
"We are not cleaning, we'll be leaving in the morning." Lily told him with a look of disgust.  
"Yes but if I'm to sleep here it should be immaculate. Now grab a mop and start cleaning."

Meanwhile, Eren and Violet had relocated to the kitchen to peel potatoes. Eren trailed behind her with a dumb struck expression on his face as she tried to reach the top shelf where the pots were. Maria passed them on her way to grab cleaner sheets for the commander, at Erens face she stopped. "What's up with you? You seem speachless." Maria giggled at him as he turned to face her.  
"Your squad...your the Walls Thorns. That's what people call you." he gasped, obviously realising who they were. Violet laughed at that, it was something that had been started by recruites. It was something Rin had started as a joke but quickly grew to great lengths once the recruits had heard. Maria gave him a smile as she went on her way with the clean linen. "They also call us the spy division." Violet quipped as she gently lowered a huge stew pot from the shelf and settled it on the stove.

"Here." Eren said handing over the scrounged up ingredients for stew. It was a rare treat for them to be able to afford the ingredients and seeing as they would be leaving in the morning Violet was going to use this as an excuss. "I always wondered why they called you that." He said glancing at Maria as she came in with a blush covering her cheeks and muttering 'he winked at me.' Violet just gave a strained smile as she played with the hem of her shirt.  
"I'll get the patatoes for peeling." With that she left for the potatoes.

Eren was left to watch her fading back. "Because of who they are." Eren turned to look at Maria. Her eyes were sad as if it was painful for her to talk about this. "Did you know they came from underground?"  
Eren gasped, taken aback that such highly thought of soldiers were from such a place. Although, it did make sense that such hardened people had come from a place like that. Where every descision they made could possible mean you wound up dead.  
But Violet seemed so nice, warm and ...friendly, not what Eren had expected from underground citizens.  
Maria looked out to where Violet had disappeared to "Lily was a thief, thug and assassinator. She refused for Violet and Rose to be involved, but even so others still think they were all thugs and thieves. Rin was saved from a slaving ring down there..." she stopped her glance at the door unsure "I shouldn't really be saying any of this, I just want you to understand there are some things they will never tell you. Some things they will hide. Try not to take it personally.I only know because of Terry."

Suddenly the old bell tower sounded for the first time in years, panicked shouts found their way to the kitchen. Eren hadn't moved but Maria had quickly fastened her gear on as she ran up the stairs, finally Eren kicked into gear and stumbled up the stairs after her.  
They were greated with Frankie's panicked form running towards them, she slowed to a stop "Violet, It's the Military Police. Their on their way. Lily said to get you..."  
BANG!

All eyes snapped to the nearest window, it overlooked the court yard where the cobbled grey stones where splattered with red.

Red?

"Shit." Violet cursed. Because being dragged away by Alex and Terry with blood seeping into a large stain on his uniform shirt was Rin.

They could only watch in horror as the gates opened to a waterfall of squirming MP's filled the cold cobbled yard. Rin had been successfully removed from the army of green and brown, Alex then appeared running to the small group, Terry had Rin thrown over his broad shoulder as he too lumbered in with his load.

Erwin had appeared on the court yard, being lead held high by the small squad that had found him. Behind him was Oliver and Rose who was ever the calm leader.  
Levi and Lily ran down their corridor where the group had been frozen at the unfamiliar scene of humans being threat to their squad. "Kitchen." Violet said suddenly. "There's a seceret door down there. Behind the cutlery unit." Terry was the first to move, Lily watched as Rose said something to Nile earning a hit from another soldier to the face with his gun. Lily growled.

Alex and Maria hurried after Terry, Frankie however was stuck where she stood. "Frankie! Move!" Violet shouted at the watery eyed woman.  
Frankie shook, her whole body vibrating. MP's were swarming down the corridor at an alarming rate, but all Frankie was looking at was Oliver. Oliver punched the MP that had hit Rose and...

BANG!

Frankie screamed and fell to her knees.  
Violet gasped. Lily dragged her sister like a rage doll to the stairs, and almost pushed her down them before she finally moved. Levi ran past them swearing in French as he did so.  
Lily looked back from where she was halfway down the stairs, but Violet knew Frankie was gone. Guards converged on her small form, her fists connecting with faces as she put up a valiant effort and screamed for them to run. Violet reached the secret door and turned to see Levi pick Lily up. Lily screamed and shouted her fists hitting Levi's arms around her waist. "Frankie!" she screamed.

"ROSE! FRANKIE!"

"ROSE!"


End file.
